


A Moment In Time: Vampire Diaries Edition

by Dark_Supernatural_Angel



Series: A Moment In Time [3]
Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: "A Moment In Time" Collection, Episode Related, Episode Tag, Multi, Oneshot collection
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-02
Updated: 2018-06-03
Packaged: 2019-05-17 10:08:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 23
Words: 17,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14830289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dark_Supernatural_Angel/pseuds/Dark_Supernatural_Angel
Summary: This will be theVampire DiariesEdition of my collection of one-shots from multiple fandoms.Originally Published on FFN:October 23, 2011Disclaimer:I don't own the characters; those belong to their original creators. The way it's all stringed together is of my making. No profit is being made out of this.





	1. Screwed Up (3x05)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Challenge/Synopsis:** A Evil!Stefan/Damon confrontation at the boarding house after the events of "The Reckoning" (ep. 3x05)
> 
>  
> 
> **Character(s):** Elena Gilbert, Damon  & Stefan Salvatore  
>  **Pairing:** many
> 
> **Rating:** strong T  
>  **Words:** 1,308 words
> 
> **Spoiler(s):** up to and including VD 3x05 ("The Reckoning")  
>  **Time Frame:** An extension of the boarding house scene in the end.
> 
>  
> 
> **Inspiration:** The dialogue just came to me.  
>  **Requested By:** Enx2103

* * *

 " **Screwed Up"**

* * *

"Where were you Damon?" Elena questioned, her voice cracking, as she was huddled into the leather couch at the boarding house with a glass of bourbon in her hands. She still couldn't believe how senior prank night had turned out all wrong.

Klaus wasn't supposed to show up. Tyler wasn't supposed to be turned into a hybrid. And the worst of all, Stefan wasn't supposed to _disappear_ before her very eyes because that's what happened to the Stefan she knew, he disappeared and in his place was the vampire; the Ripper.

Damon sighed as he sat in the seat across from Elena. He could see the pain she was feeling through her eyes and even if he wasn't seeing it on her face, he could _feel_ it. He was so peeved at himself for running off with Katherine just because he had a fight with Elena…if he hadn't left, maybe he could have prevented some of the things that happened tonight. But he'd never know because he couldn't undo what was done that night.

"I shouldn't have left." He softly declared which caused Elena to cast her gaze down to the glass in her lap as she held back her tears.

She didn't want him to see how his absence had truly affected her. Throughout the whole night, she couldn't help but wonder where Damon was because in the past, he _always_ appeared when she truly needed him and it _hurt_ when that didn't happen tonight.

He noticed that she was slowly distancing herself from him and he wasn't going to have that. He placed his hand on her knee as he gave it a firm squeeze, bringing her doe eyes to meet his promising gaze. "I promise you, I will _never_ leave you again."

He wish he could say more, _do_ more, to help her through this but he couldn't help but be pleased with the small smile that she gave him as she fought her tears back. He would take the smile because it was a start. She needed him…it may not be as intense as his need for her but it's a start.

"Well isn't this cozy." Another voice interjected from the room's entrance, causing Damon to immediately stand, unconsciously placing himself between Elena and their intruder…who turned out to be a smug Stefan as he leaned against a wall, witnessing the scene that transpired between Damon and Elena moments ago.

"What are you doing here, brother?" Damon questioned tensely as Elena sat stunned behind him. Neither one of them could believe that Stefan was _there_.

"Last I checked, I live here." Stefan retorted back as he made his way towards Damon's alcohol stash. "Klaus is gone but he's asked me to keep watch on you until he returns." He stated, mainly at Elena, before he took a swig of his new drink. "From now on, you're under my protection."

Damon didn't like the sound of that. "For Klaus' benefit." He sneered out because it was clearly evident in his brother's mannerisms that if _he_ had the choice, he wouldn't be here to protect some _human_ (nevermind the fact that said human was the love of his life before Klaus compelled the switch in his brother to turn off).

"Exactly," Stefan's emotionless answer made Elena flinch in her seat.

Damon scoffed as he took a few steps forward but he still remained in between Elena and his _brother_. "I can't believe it. Is this really what it's come down to? After everything we've done, you're just going to sit back and watch Klaus use her as a living blood bag?" Anyone could tell that Damon was holding back his anger when he said those words and the vampire couldn't believe that he was saying them to his brother of all people. Before it use to be Stefan that would try to reason with Damon and to get him to help out but now…it was as if the tables have turned completely.

"How should I put this…yes." Stefan stated with a shrug before he took another swig of his alcoholic drink. His brother's anger didn't phase the Ripper as he didn't really care…he was there to do his job, whether he liked it or not. He knew that he should care but he just didn't have it in him _to_ care.

Damon shook his head from side to side in a disappointed manner. "That's screwed up Stefan, even by my standards."

Stefan laughed. "Since when have I gone by your standards, Damon?" Damon growled at the comment which caused a smirk to form on the younger Salvatore's face. "Besides, I thought out of everyone you'd be _pleased_ about where I am now."

The older Salvatore rolled his eyes. "I never wanted you to be on Klaus' side."

The Ripper shrugged as he finished the rest of his drink. "That may be true but you are the one that wanted me to embrace the vampire within and here I am in all my vampire glory and yet you seem…dissatisfied."

Damon flinched at the reminder of what he tried to get Stefan to become when he first arrived to Mystic Falls. It was true that he wanted Stefan to start drinking human blood but he didn't want him to loose complete control to become what he is now. The guy before him was not his brother…there was no doubt in Damon's mind on that statement.

"You're a real piece of work you know that."

Stefan snickered, taking that as a compliment whether Damon meant it as so or not. "Takes one to know one. The only difference now is that _I don't care_." He stated before he returned his glass back to the trolley. "You use to be like that you know…whatever happened to _that_ Damon?" Stefan questioned as he walked backwards to where he entered earlier as he never took his eyes off his older brother, who was giving him an ice cold stare. "Together we could have _ripped_ the town to shreds, brother…just thinking about all the possibilities is making me thirsty." He stated as he licked his lips before a sinister smile formed on his face as the mental images of bloody bodies being scoured around the town grounds because of the two of them. He shook his head to rid himself of the thoughts before they became too much that he'd attack Elena in the moment (which wouldn't do Klaus any good) as he gave a dramatic sigh. "It's a shame you've gone _soft_ brother." He declared before he turned around to leave the room. "As you were!" He shouted back to them before he headed to the front door…he was feeling very thirsty at the moment.

Damon couldn't help the growl that escaped through his lips. He wanted to go and pummel Stefan to a pulp so badly in that moment but it was the feel of Elena's hand slip around his wrist that made him stop.

The vampire turned to face Elena, who was now standing, and he wasn't surprised to see the turmoil in her eyes again. It hadn't even occurred to him in the moment how Elena would take the confrontation between himself and his brother just now but he knew that she's had enough for the night.

"Let's get you home," Damon suggested before he subtly moved his hand in a way that go her hand off his wrist and into his own hand.

Elena could only nod as Damon led the way to the front door.

In a way Damon was right, she couldn't safely stay there anymore…not if Stefan was back. It wasn't that much safer at the Gilbert House either but she could only hope that Damon had a plan to keep her safe for the night.

That's all she could do at this point…she could only _hope_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer:** Any recognizable dialogue is from VD 3x05 ("The Reckoning").
> 
>  
> 
> **Originally Published on FFN:** October 27, 2011


	2. Backseat No More (3x08)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Challenge/Synopsis:** Tag on to 3x08 – Elena says 'call me later' to Damon before hanging up…how does Damon take to being talked to like she had moments ago?
> 
>  
> 
> **Character(s):** Damon Salvatore (mainly)  
>  **Pairing:** Damon/Elena (one-sided) and Damon/Stefan (sibling dynamic)
> 
> **Rating:** T  
>  **Words:** 279 words
> 
> **Spoiler(s):** everything up to VD 3x08 ("Ordinary People")  
>  **Time Frame:** Damon is on his way to check on Stefan while Elena arrives at Alaric's apartment before meeting up with Rebekah.
> 
> **Inspiration:** This came to me while I was watching the episode for the fourth time within two days.  
>  **Requested By:** Enx2103

* * *

  **"Backseat No More"**

* * *

" _Call me later."_

He rolled his eyes when he only heard the dial tone after her words; his eyes never straying from the sight of his exhausted brother as he pocketed his cell phone.

It really irritated him how she could rudely hang up on him time and time again but he always let it slide. He let _many_ things slide when it came to her and a majority of the time; he didn't understand why he would do such a thing.

He had more experience when it came to life yet he let _her_ call the shots. On a strategic level, that wasn't a smart move and he _knew_ that but it turned out that his head wasn't always the one in charge.

It was his undead heart that ultimately decided what he did lately.

It is what's telling him to let the love of his life do things her way for the time being. It's also his heart that was telling him that he needed to do something, anything, to help his brother, who was chained up in the old Forbes' cellar.

He sighed as he reached for the lock to the cellar.

He was about to do something that he knew that she wouldn't approve of but this wasn't about _her_ , this was about _his_ brother and when it came to saving Stefan, the eldest Salvatore was finally going to try things _his_ way.

"You know, if you two are gonna keep me locked up in here for the next decade, I think we can skip the routine visits." He rolled his eyes for his brother's greeting before he stepped inside the makeshift cell.

_Show time._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer:** Any recognizable dialogue is from VD 3x08 ("Ordinary People").
> 
>    
>  **Originally Published on FFN:** November 4, 2011


	3. All Work and No Play

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Challenge/Synopsis:** Caroline and Tyler dealing with midterms/exams. 
> 
>  
> 
> **Character(s):** Caroline Forbes and Tyler Lockwood  
>  **Pairing:** pre-Caroline/Tyler
> 
> **Rating:** T  
>  **Words:** 632 words
> 
> **Spoiler(s):** First two seasons.  
>  **Time Frame:** Post-Sacrifice (between VD 2x22-3x01). 
> 
> **Inspiration:** I just handed in an assignment today so I figured I might use that in some way.  
>  **Requested By:** Enx2103

* * *

  **"All Work and No Play"**

* * *

It was a beautiful mid-May weekend in Mystic Falls. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping and all was momentarily silent when it came to supernatural activity. It had been a couple weeks since the whole sacrifice went down, leaving many loose ends in Klaus' escape, but it seemed like that dreadful event was decades ago for this one Mystic Falls resident as Tyler's eyes roamed around a certain vampire's living room.

The werewolf was grateful for all that drama to be over but at the moment, he was extremely bored. He had been starring at her walls for the last twenty minutes, tapping his pen against his book yet she still didn't notice.

He sighed, "Caroline."

Nothing.

"Caroline," He called again when he didn't see any sort of reaction that indicated that she heard him the first time.

He knew that she was able to hear him, what with her super vampire hearing and all, so it irritated him when she flat out ignored him.

"Caroline!" He shouted which caused the vampire in question to snap her attention to the werewolf across the room.

"What Tyler! Can't you see I'm a little busy right now." She exclaimed with a glare pointed at him as she gestured to the pile of notes in her lap.

"I'm bored," Tyler stated with a sigh as he closed his own book.

Caroline groaned as she ran her hair through her blonde hair. Ever since they started hanging out together, she's been picking up a few cues when it came to Tyler and one of them happened to be that he got bored _very_ easily.

"Why are we stuck inside when we _should_ be out celebrating, I mean, it's not everyday that you live through an Original's attack right?" Tyler rationalized in hopes that the vampire would be up for some partying since she was definitely into that type of stuff before all this supernatural stuff entered their lives. It also helped that it was a gorgeous day outside and he'd rather be out there than inside.

Caroline sighed, "Right."

"Then why the hell do we have our noses crammed into the spines of our books?"

"Because whether we like it or not Ty we still have finals coming up." Caroline stated before she returned her attention back to her chemistry notes. She might understand the chemistry between people _very_ well but when it came to the science kind, it truly confused the heck out of her.

Tyler groaned as he buried his head into his hands. "In a month Caroline, why are we studying _now_? We just got our lives back…we should be _celebrating_."

"We already celebrated enough Tyler, it's time to focus." She stated once again without taking her attention off her notes.

She knew that Tyler had a point and the fact that she's a vampire should be an advantage for her when it came to retaining information but she figured that they've celebrated enough as it is already. She knew that Elena wouldn't be up to celebrating because of Stefan's abrupt departure with Klaus and she knew that Bonnie wouldn't be up to it either since she's trying to help Elena in any way she can in locating Stefan (or Bonnie was off on a date with Jeremy). With her two best friends being too busy to hang, that left her with Tyler. The vampire knew she could go out and party with Tyler but she just wasn't ready for wherever that road could lead her with the werewolf. So instead she figured studying would be the safer option.

Unfortunately Tyler took the hint as he picked up his notes again. "You're no fun," He grumbled to himself as he picked up where he left off in his studies.

The vampire rolled her eyes for the werewolf's comment but it didn't stop the small twitch in her lip when she got to the chemistry section about opposites attracting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Back Story:** In my mind, the sacrifice happened in April which also means that Caroline/Tyler haven't officially hooked up yet (which happens in 3x01).
> 
>  
> 
> **Originally Published on FFN:** November 15, 2011


	4. Thinking Positive (3x11)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Challenge/Synopsis:** Klaus/Caroline….fluff. (That's all that she gave me as the challenge!)
> 
>  
> 
> **Character(s):** Klaus Mikaelson and Caroline Forbes  
>  **Pairing:** pre-Klaus/Caroline
> 
> **Rating:** T  
>  **Words:** 326 words
> 
> **Spoiler(s):** up to and including ep. 3x11 "Our Town" (or basically up to Caroline's 18th birthday)  
>  **Time Frame:** Tag on to 3x11 during the Klaus/Caroline scene.
> 
> **Inspiration:** I just couldn't help going in deeper when it came to K/C's first scene alone together.  
>  **Requested By:** Enx2103

* * *

**"Thinking Positive"**

* * *

_Collateral damage._

That's all the vampire was supposed to be…her being bitten was all part of the plan to get more of the council's members on his side against Stefan but that all changed when he finally saw her.

She was broken, scared and very vulnerable; a sight he wasn't use to when it came to the blonde. Usually she had this spitfire attitude and a will to fight back that he had found refreshing. It kind of reminded him of how Rebekah was back when she truly was Caroline's age; back when they were human.

Yet he didn't see that in Caroline now as she laid in her bed, buried in her blanket as she rode through the werewolf bite's effects as they took over her body from time to time.

He thought she would beg for his blood but she surprised him when she didn't. Instead she was asking all these vague questions that he just knew she was dying, no pun intended, to ask someone. Who better than an Original right?

So since it was her birthday and he was always a sucker for those, he opened up and told her about the positives of being a vampire. While she only focused on the negatives that came with being a vampire, he reminded her that as an immortal, she could explore the world, experience different cultures, dive into things she never thought she'd have the guts to do when she was human.

The possibilities were endless for her now that she was a vampire and Klaus could see that understanding click in her mind before he offered his blood to her one more time.

As she sucked his blood from his wrist, he could feel the eager pull that she was creating and he couldn't help but smile.

She had great potential as a vampire…he just hoped that she didn't become collateral damage once again before she could truly live her vampire life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Originally Published on FFN:** January 19, 2012


	5. Idiots (4x01)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Challenge/Synopsis:** Tag on to 4x01 – Damon's insight on how stubborn and stupid a certain couple can be.
> 
>  
> 
> **Character(s):** Damon Salvatore (mainly)  
>  **Pairing:** none
> 
> **Rating:** T  
>  **Words:** 162 words
> 
> **Spoiler(s):** everything up to VD 4x01 ("Growing Pain")  
>  **Time Frame:** After Stefan leaves Damon in the Gilbert kitchen in VD 4x01.
> 
> **Inspiration:** Damon's always right...that mantra gave me the idea.  
>  **Requested By:** None

* * *

**"Idiots"**

* * *

_"Now let me try to fix it."_

Damon rolled his eyes as his brother's parting words resonated through his brain.

There was no door number three; he would know. If they didn't have to die to be turned into a vampire then _maybe_ there was a chance but there wasn't. There wasn't a cure for vampirism; there wasn't and there never will be.

But once again, Stefan wasn't listening to Damon. It seemed to be a common theme between them; Stefan ignored Damon's pleas in 1864, Stefan ignored Damon's request for help in 1912 and now Stefan was ignoring Damon when it came to Elena.

Damon sighed as he poured himself another drink.

When would their pathetic group realize that they shouldn't be listening to an inexperienced eighteen year old doppelganger?

It didn't seem to matter as everyone in their group would side with Elena which meant that the vampire was stuck following the orders of a mere fledgling now.

_Oh joy._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Originally Published on FFN:** October 11, 2012


	6. New Plan (4x01)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Challenge/Synopsis:** Tag on to 4x01 – Klaus' thoughts after snapping Rebekah's neck.
> 
>  
> 
> **Character(s):** Klaus Mikaelson (mainly)  
>  **Pairing:** none
> 
> **Rating:** T  
>  **Words:** 189 words
> 
> **Spoiler(s):** everything up to VD 4x01 ("Growing Pain")  
>  **Time Frame:** After Klaus snapped Rebekah's neck in VD 4x01.
> 
> **Inspiration:** I had one plot bunny that stemmed from Klaus yet I couldn't write it since he should have no idea of it so this came out instead.  
>  **Requested By:** None

* * *

  **"New Plan"**

* * *

_Stupid Rebekah._ Klaus thought as he stormed through the mansion. The hybrid didn't regret disowning his only sister, the only family member who had loved him unconditionally. She had betrayed him; she killed Elena and she just destroyed the only bags of Elena's human blood that he had.

It seemed that Rebekah's presence had ruined the brief joy he had in being back in his body once again. Rebekah always seemed to rain on his parade as she made everything about her. She didn't understand; it seems like nobody ever would.

Not only did he have to deal with a council that knew of his true identity but now he had another useless doppelganger, another Katherine.

Speaking of…he should really get back to hunting her down for her own betrayal to him.

But there had to be some way to get his blood source back. His supply couldn't end with Elena Gilbert…he wouldn't allow it to.

Klaus quickly searched for his phone and he called one of the many witches he had listed in his contacts. He will find a way to get Elena to be a human again and he will use that to bargain with her once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Originally Published on FFN:** October 13, 2012


	7. Supernatural Source (4x02)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Challenge/Synopsis:** Tag on to 4x02 – Why can't a certain newborn vampire stomach the blood she ingests?
> 
>  
> 
> **Character(s):** Damon and Stefan Salvatore with mentions of Elena Gilbert  
>  **Pairing:** Damon/Elena/Stefan triangle angst (yet not the focus)
> 
> **Rating:** T  
>  **Words:** 345 words
> 
> **Spoiler(s):** everything up to VD 4x01 ("Growing Pain")  
>  **Time Frame:** Sometime shortly after Elena transitions.
> 
> **Inspiration:** Based upon the rumors of Elena not reacting well to her new blood diet.  
>  **Requested By:** None

* * *

  **"Supernatural Source"**

* * *

Damon and Stefan were huddled around the couch as a weak Elena laid on top of it. Neither brother knew what was causing Elena to puke up the blood she ingested.

They've tried everything they could think of. After she started puking up the animal blood in the woods, Stefan rushed Elena back to the boarding house to get one of Damon's blood bags. Unfortunately Elena puked that up too moments later.

"Why isn't anything working?" Stefan questioned as he sat by Elena's side. Elena was getting too close to looking like she did when Pastor Young had captured them a few days ago.

Damon's brow furrowed before a thought crossed his mind. "Well there is one thing we haven't tried yet," He stated before he bit into his wrist. He then dripped some of his blood into Elena's mouth.

Stefan tried to move Damon's arm away but both brothers froze when Elena subconsciously moved towards the blood source before she latched her new fangs into Damon's flesh.

After Elena drank a reasonable amount, Damon pulled his arm away. When Elena didn't show any signs of blood rejection, both brothers sighed out of relief.

"I guess my blood did the trick," Damon said with a smirk as he watched some of the color return to Elena's face. He couldn't help but make the little quip that _this_ was one thing Elena seemed to chose him for over his brother.

Stefan rolled his eyes while his mind figured out what this new development meant. "What if it isn't just your blood…what if its _supernatural_ blood in general that she needs?" He suggested; he'd much rather have his idea be the reason than have the idea of Elena needing Damon's blood to survive to be true.

Damon's brow furrowed out of confusion as he moved to grab himself a blood bag. "What, like Mikael?"

Stefan shrugged. "I don't know. Mikael _chose_ to only drink from other vampires yet Elena doesn't really seem to have much of a choice."

"Why is everything always different when she's concerned?" Damon stated with a groan before he gulped down some blood.

Stefan didn't bother voicing his opinion even though he too was wondering the same thing.

Damon released a sigh of relief once he finished his blood bag. "She's not going to like this once she wakes up." He stated as he licked the blood off his lips. Elena wasn't going to like the fact that a majority of her friends were now the ones that would provide her the only source of blood she could stomach.

"I know." Stefan said with a nod; his eyes hadn't left Elena's relaxed face. He could see a few missed drops of blood on her lips.

"Then again, at least she will wake up." Damon pointed out as he moved to have Elena in his sights once again.

Nothing more was said between the brothers as they waited for the new vampire to wake up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Back Story:** Theoretically, this was a scene I thought might take place during the upcoming episode (4x02). And while I would love it if Elena's body accepted only Damon's blood because he is her sire, I thought this reason might be another possibility...yet if that's the case in canon, I don't quite know why this scenario has only happened to Elena.
> 
>  
> 
> **Originally Published on FFN:** October 17, 2012


	8. Sharing (4x02)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Challenge/Synopsis:** Tag on to 4x02 – What truly transpired between Damon and Elena's blood sharing?
> 
>    
>  **Character(s):** Damon Salvatore and Elena Gilbert  
>  **Pairing:** Damon/Elena
> 
> **Rating:** T  
>  **Words:** 398 words
> 
> **Spoiler(s):** everything up to VD 4x02 ("Memorial")  
>  **Time Frame:** During the canon blood sharing moment of the episode.
> 
> **Inspiration:** The canon scene itself was great and I only wished that Elena didn't puke that up later too.  
>  **Requested By:** None

* * *

  **"Sharing"**

* * *

 " _Because blood sharing is kind of…personal."_ ~ _Damon_

* * *

Elena couldn't believe she was about to take Damon up on his offer yet the smell of his blood was overwhelming…intoxicating. She couldn't deny it anymore and she was getting desperate; she was so _hungry_.

Damon knew that he shouldn't be offering his blood but she _needed_ it and he couldn't let her suffer because of his brother's delusions. A vampire needed to embrace their bloodlust before they learned to control their cravings; it is how Damon did it and it's something that Stefan had yet to understand. If either of them had a brain, they'd realize that Elena had a better chance at surviving as a vampire while under _Damon_ 's teachings.

But now wasn't the time to dwell on that fact and Damon reminded himself of that when he offered his bleeding hand to Elena once again.

He watched as her eyes were flooded with blood while the veins spidered from them. A clear hiss was heard as she revealed her fangs before she sank them into Damon's hand.

He could feel his blood being pulled from his body and while normally, he would be fighting to get away from the thing that was draining his life force, the connection he felt with Elena overrode his primal need to escape.

Elena, on the other hand, felt like she was on cloud nine as Damon's blood spilled into her mouth. She could feel herself getting stronger with every pull of Damon's blood she consumed; the animal blood was like dirt in comparison to this. All she could think about was having more, so much more in fact that she had rendered Damon weak long enough for him to need the wall to support them both (mainly himself though).

He didn't care though. The brief moment of weakness was worth it for Damon if it meant that Elena was getting what she needed. If he had to reduce himself to a walking blood bag so that Elena got the proper blood she needed then so be it. He knew how ironic that was since he's used many people over the years as his living blood bag but he didn't mind placing himself on the other side, not if it meant that Elena would feed from a vein.

As the feeding progressed, Damon encouraged and soothed the new vampire while she fed.

This was the first step in the right direction…on so many levels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **This was written a couple of hours after VD 4x02 had aired.
> 
> **Originally Published on FFN:** October 23, 2012


	9. Not Really Alone (4x02)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Challenge/Synopsis:** Tag on to 4x02 – Damon's visit to Alaric's grave.
> 
>    
>  **Character(s):** Damon Salvatore and Alaric Saltzman  
>  **Pairing:** Damon/Alaric (friendship)
> 
> **Rating:** T  
>  **Words:** ~491 words
> 
> **Spoiler(s):** everything up to VD 4x02 ("Memorial")  
>  **Time Frame:** After the gang's own lantern ceremony when Damon drinks his sorrows away at Alaric's grave.
> 
> **Inspiration:** The canon scene itself was amazing and it just made me love the friendship between Damon/Alaric even more but I wanted to extend it.  
>  **Requested By:** Enx2103

* * *

**"Not Really Alone"**

* * *

" _I miss you too buddy."_

Damon froze in his step as the words resonated through his brain.

_Did I really just hear that?_ Damon thought as he turned around to face his friend's headstone once again. He was sure that he heard Alaric's voice as if it was part of the wind and yet he found himself completely alone in the woods.

Alaric waited with bated breath as he watched Damon return to his headstone. He hadn't expected for him to hear his words. He's experimented around town and the only one who could really hear him was Jeremy.

The vampire reached the etched stone before he released a huge sigh. "I may be drunk but I know what I heard," He stated clearly to himself as he stumbled to take a seat once again. "Then again, a sign is always nice."

Alaric chuckled as he tried to figure out how to grant his friend his wish. He just knew that Damon needed some form of reassurance that he wasn't alone which is what he was now. After everything he purged to Alaric that night, the ghost knew that the vampire felt alone.

The half empty liquor bottle that Damon had originally left caught the ghost's attention. He smiled as an idea formed in his mind. He moved towards the vampire before crouching down in front of the bottle. He hoped with all his might that he'd be able to execute his plan. Alaric inhaled deeply before he blew hot air onto the bottle's glass surface; a fog started to appear.

Damon's head snapped to the side as he heard the wind pick up. _Not what I had in mind_ , he thought before the fogging glass of the liquor bottle caught his attention. He watched the surface like a hawk as lines were being drawn in the fogged surface, like when a child would draw pictures into a fogged up glass door during a cold winter night.

When the lines seemed to stop, a genuine smile formed on Damon's face at the word that was left in the fog. _Brother_. He knew that it was Alaric because the only time he called the human that out loud was when they were up in the mountains with Elena when they were trying to track Stefan down.

Alaric was pleased when his message was received. It's definitely been awhile since he's seen his best friend smile.

"It's good to know you're here man." Damon declared with a sigh before his eyes moved back to the engraved stone. "I just wish things didn't end up the way they did." He softly stated while making no move of leaving like before. Just the confirmation of Alaric's spirit being in the area was enough for Damon to want to stay for a little while longer…it's not like he has anywhere to be anymore.

Alaric moved to take the empty seat beside Damon. " _You and me both Damon, you and me both._ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Originally Published on FFN:** October 25, 2012


	10. Tearful Shower (4x05)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Challenge/Synopsis:** What if Elena had her shower at the boarding house instead of at home…what would her new hearing pick up?  
>   
> 
> **Character(s):** Elena Gilbert (with appearances by the Salvatore brothers)  
>  **Pairing:** Stefan/Elena with Damon/Elena thoughts
> 
> **Rating:** T  
>  **Words:** 555 words
> 
> **Spoiler(s):** everything up to VD 4x05 ("The Killer")  
>  **Time Frame:** During Elena's shower at the end of the episode (before she hallucinates).
> 
> **Inspiration:** Damon's confession during his talk with Stefan had me wondering and I got this out of it.  
>  **Requested By:** None

* * *

  **"Tearful Shower"**

* * *

Elena stood frozen under the running water as she washed the blood from her body. She had made her first kill that day yet that wasn't what was running through her mind at the moment. She couldn't stop thinking about what she overheard a few minutes ago.

Elena was about to get into the guest bedroom's shower (she didn't want to risk Jeremy seeing her covered in blood) when she went back to retrieve her forgotten pile of clean clothes. Only then was she able to hear the Salvatores clearly with help from her new hearing and what she heard shocked her.

It wasn't the mere thought that Stefan had been keeping the cure a secret from her or that she had singled-handily destroyed her chances of gaining that cure by killing Connor, it was the reasons _why_ the brothers wanted the cure that shocked her.

_"Why do you want a cure?" She heard Damon ask Stefan from the guest bedroom. They were both currently in Stefan's attic bedroom._

_"What kind of question is that?" She heard Stefan ask with an incredulous tone._

_"A legitimate one. Do you want a cure because she's a vampire and she's not cut out to be one or is it that you can't love her because she is one?" Damon's words caused Elena to flinch but she didn't make a sound. She wanted to hear the answer because deep down she knew that Stefan would tell Damon the truth, especially when it came to a serious topic such as this._

_Stefan sighed. "I'll always love her. She's not supposed to be this person…I don't want her to be." Her boyfriend confessed and it took every restraint Elena had to keep her gasp inside her. All she could think in that moment was that Stefan, despite his support since her transition, didn't like who she had become. It was alright for Elena to not like who she has become since her transition but Stefan was supposed to love her no matter what._

_Before Elena could succumb even further into her spiraling thoughts, Damon's voice brought her back to the brothers' conversation. "Well if I'm riding this fairy tale to its conclusion, then let me be clear about one thing."_

_"What's that?" Stefan asked as Elena held her breath in._

_"I'm fine with her either way brother, so if I do this, I'm doing it for you." Damon declared to Stefan before he walked out of the room._

When Elena had heard Damon's footsteps she had sped to the shower and jumped right in. The brothers would never know that she was eavesdropping on them as the water had been running the whole time; it would be easy for them to assume that she was under the spray during their conversation. Yet she wasn't and Elena had heard everything.

She heard how her boyfriend couldn't accept who she had become since her transition while the brother that she rejected confessed that he would love her no matter what because to him it didn't matter that she was human or vampire. It seemed like while both brothers loved her when she was human, only one of them would love her as a vampire.

And on some level, that thought disturbed her which only led Elena to shed more tears in the shower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer:** Any recognizable dialogue is from VD 4x05 ("The Killer").
> 
>  
> 
> **Originally Published on FFN:** November 10, 2012


	11. Doubts (4x07)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Challenge/Synopsis:** Tag on to 4x07 – After getting what he's always wanted from Elena, Damon worries that it just might blow up in his face.
> 
>  
> 
> **Character(s):** Damon Salvatore (and Elena Gilbert)  
>  **Pairing:** Damon/Elena
> 
> **Rating:** T  
>  **Words:** 586 words
> 
> **Spoiler(s):** everything up to VD 4x07 ("My Brother's Keeper")  
>  **Time Frame:** Immediately after VD 4x07.
> 
> **Inspiration:** I have mixed feelings about this whole sire bond concept between Delena but one concern I do have is Elena's reaction to it once she finds out and whether Damon did know about the sire bond or not before he slept with her.  
>  **Requested By:** None

* * *

  **"Doubts"**

* * *

Damon exhaled deeply as the night's events rushed through his mind. He still couldn't believe it. One minute he was dancing with Elena by the fireplace and the next, they were kissing which instantly turned into something more. A whole lot more.

Even with Elena currently tucked into his side at the moment, fast asleep, Damon still couldn't believe that he finally got to sleep with her. He finally got to make love to the girl he's been pining after for almost a year.

And yet he still had his doubts about her and it was all thanks to that stupid sire bond between them. At first he was going to be the better man and decline Elena's come-ons to him but there is only so much a man could take when it came to his restraint against her…after all, he's had to restrain from her for quite some time now.

But the sire bond does complicate their already complex dynamic.

He hadn't realized that there was one between them at first but little moments started to stand out in his mind and it didn't take long for the theory to materialize in his head. He had mixed feelings about the concept because on the one hand, Elena would feel this undeniable pull towards him (which is what he wanted) and yet on the other hand, he wouldn't be able to tell how much of it was due to her true feelings for him or if it was all the sire bond's doing. It definitely put some doubts into this Salvatore's mind because would whatever he had with Elena now be because of a stupid rare sire bond or because Elena wanted it…wanted him? Just thinking about it made the vampire's brain hurt and it was just a theory at that point.

So he decided to test it out.

The moment he got his confirmation was when Elena shouted to Damon that she had killed Connor because _he_ told her to do it. Those words were all that he needed and he felt ashamed for using her like he did. He used his sire theory to complete his agenda which he regretted the moment he saw the guilt in Elena's eyes when she was burying the hunter. With a move that was meant to protect Jeremy, it ultimately led to something far worse for the younger Gilbert. It was a stupid plan on Damon's part that resulted in Elena having deadly hallucinations and them with no map to getting the cure for her.

But now what was he supposed to do?

If Elena found out about the sire bond, would she turn on him and run back to Stefan? Would she turn back on all the progress they've made together? Would she doubt the connection that was between them long before she became a vampire?

Sire bonds between vampires was a rare thing to find and while he was okay with it, would Elena be alright with it?

As the conflicting thoughts raced through Damon's mind, his hand continued to brush along Elena's back as he watched her sleep with a smile on her face. He didn't want to lose this feeling when he was with her…he didn't want to lose her.

Yet deep down he knew that if he didn't act fast, all his progress with Elena (with them and with her being a vampire) would be swept under the proverbial rug before he knew it.

And that's not something he was willing to lose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ****I wrote this before the 4x08 webclip between the Salvatores was released.**
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> **Originally Published on FFN:** November 30, 2012


	12. Close Call (4x07)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Challenge/Synopsis:** Tag on to 4x07 – While Matt is great with keeping Jeremy level-headed, sometimes a kid needs an adult to tell him that everything will be fine.
> 
>  
> 
> **Character(s):** Jeremy Gilbert and Alaric Saltzman  
>  **Pairing:** guardian/minor, friendship
> 
> **Rating:** T  
>  **Words:** 823 words
> 
> **Spoiler(s):** everything up to VD 4x07 ("My Brother's Keeper")  
>  **Time Frame:** Immediately after VD 4x07.
> 
>  
> 
> **Inspiration:** I just had to do a scene of this kind…I wish there were more like it.  
>  **Requested By:** Enx2103 (kinda)

* * *

  **"Close Call"**

* * *

Jeremy was too lost in his head to notice that he wasn't the only person in his room, so when he heard the unexpected voice, the new hunter jumped and with his new speed, he spun around to see his former guardian leaning against his desk.

"How are you holding up?" Alaric asked after Jeremy caught his bearings again. Alaric was aware of what had gone down over the last few days. He isn't always around but he does pop in from time to time to check up on the gang.

Jeremy scoffed. "I drove my own sister out of our home…how do you think I'm doing, Ric?" He finished with a pointed look at the ghost.

Alaric sighed; memories of his evil alter-ego came to mind and he knew that Jeremy was worried about turning into that version of his former guardian. "I know this must be difficult for you…"

"That's an understatement, Ric." Jeremy interrupted as he moved to shut his door; he didn't need Matt to hear him. "I almost killed _Elena_ today…my sister!"

"But you didn't," Alaric firmly stated as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"No…instead I push her into the arms of the Salvatores." Jeremy grumbled as he started to pace the length of his room. He was still having trouble in processing the day's events. Not only did he kill a newborn (courtesy of Stefan) but he was inches away from staking his own sister at the Miss Mystic Falls pageant. Who does that? Apparently he does after completing his hunter transformation.

"Whether we like it or not, Elena is in good hands there." Alaric pointed out, even though he didn't want to. "Especially now that she's a vampire, Damon will keep her in check." Whether he liked it or not, this ghost knew that Damon would be the last person to bring intentional harm to Elena. If anyone was going to keep Elena safe, free from suffering and in control then it would be Damon. Alaric may not agree with some of Damon's tactics but they seem to get through to Elena and that's what mattered.

Jeremy's brow furrowed out of confusion. "And what about Stefan?"

"He's too focused on that map." Alaric stated with a sigh as he pointed to Jeremy's Hunter mark. If it wasn't affecting Jeremy the way it was, Alaric would have found the mark to be a fascinating thing to uncover as a hobby. Now it just seemed like a thing he must uncover to solve a bigger puzzle, like the cave drawings that spoke of the Originals' origins.

"Shouldn't he be? It leads to a cure for Elena…right?" Jeremy questioned as he stopped his pacing. He had learned about the mark being a treasure map of sorts from the files that Bonnie handed him before he had killed that hybrid to save Elena. If Elena hadn't been plagued with deadly hallucinations, Jeremy would have been more hesitant in being a hunter.

Alaric ran a hand through his unruly hair. "Yes but by the rate your mark is growing, you're going to have to kill a lot of vampires before you complete it."

"Then that's what I'll do." Jeremy declared with so much conviction that it worried Alaric.

"But at what cost, Jer?" The ghost questioned the hunter yet when he got no answer, he continued, "You've killed twice already and you were so close to killing Elena today." Jeremy flinched at the reminder but Alaric didn't stop, he needed Jeremy to understand the repercussions of his actions. "That feeling is only going to increase the more vampires you kill. Completing that map _may_ benefit Elena in the end but it _will_ destroy you, Jeremy."

Jeremy gritted his teeth as Alaric's words repeated in his mind. "Then let it. I _owe_ her since it's _my_ fault that Elena is even a vampire in the first place."

"No its not." The ghost repeated. He remembered having this conversation with Jeremy just after he had died. It was before Elena had been resurrected but instead of the vampire part, Jeremy had truly believed that he had killed Elena.

"Yes it is!" The hunter replied harshly as he turned to glare at the ghost. "If I hadn't told Matt that we needed to get Elena out of Mystic Falls then she would have been safe at home than out in the open for Rebekah to kill." Jeremy reminded Alaric even though they had been through this argument before…Jeremy just couldn't let the guilt go.

Alaric wouldn't hear it. "If you want to play the blame game then it's _my_ fault Jeremy. Not yours." He protested as he moved until he was right in Jeremy's face. "Getting the cure is not going to change what happened to Elena…you just have to accept what has happened and make the best of it before you lose yourself in the process." He stated while Jeremy's attention was still on him. And when he saw the little signs of denial and refusal, the ghost reassured the teenager that it wasn't his fault and that it will never be his fault.

After the message sunk into the teenager's mind, the ghost got settled for a night of purging as Jeremy voiced what this mark has done to him. Alaric may be dead but he could figure out a way to help out…like Rose or Anna had done for him before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Originally Published on FFN:** December 5, 2012


	13. Hidden Agenda (4x09)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Challenge/Synopsis:** Tag on to 4x09 – There is more than meets the eye when it comes to Professor Shane.  
>   
> 
> **Character(s):** Professor Atticus Shane  
>  **Pairing:** none
> 
> **Rating:** T  
>  **Words:** 582 words
> 
> **Spoiler(s):** everything up to VD 4x09 ("O Come, All Ye Faithful")  
>  **Time Frame:** Immediately after VD 4x09.
> 
> **Inspiration:** I was just talking with my brother about the mid-season finale and when it came to talks on the Professor, this came to mind.  
>  **Requested By:** None

* * *

  **"Hidden Agenda"**

* * *

Professor Atticus Shane watched from his guest bedroom window as Jeremy went inside the Gilbert Lakehouse. The hunter missed Bonnie and Elena drive off into the night, leaving the vampire to stand in the makeshift driveway before he headed inside.

As his gaze was still focused on the night's clear sky, the professor couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment from the day's events. Not only was the detour in Jeremy's subconscious a success, but Hayley had kept her end of the deal by delivering the twelve hybrids to the fate that they needed to fulfill. He was now one step closer to his goal.

All he had to do was wait for Jeremy to complete his Hunter's Mark which would reveal the spell that Bonnie would later need. For now, Jeremy will start to train with Damon while Bonnie continued with her training with the expression magic he has her working on.

He was one step closer to retrieving Silas' body.

He was one step closer to reaching his full potential once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Back Story:** This idea wouldn't leave me alone. I mean, why else would a mortal want to dig up an immortal that legend states is more dangerous and malicious than ever after losing his true love? I mean, why would any mortal want to unleash such a being like that? And with those questions in mind came my thought that Silas' soul is inside Professor Shane's body (think the body-swapping spell that Klaus uses as one of his favorite tricks).
> 
>  
> 
> **Originally Published on FFN:** December 16, 2012


	14. Will You Take It? (4x13)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Challenge/Synopsis:** Spin-off of the 4x13 Webclip. Elena asks Damon what he plans to do with the cure. Will he take it?
> 
>    
>  **Character(s):** Damon Salvatore and Elena Gilbert  
>  **Pairing:** Damon/Elena
> 
> **Rating:** T  
>  **Words:** 980 words
> 
> **Spoiler(s):** everything up to VD 4x12 ("A View To A Kill")  
>  **Time Frame:** Immediately after the 4x13 webclip scene.
> 
> **Inspiration:** After watching the first webclip for episode 4x13.  
>  **Requested By:** None

* * *

**"Will You Take It?"**

* * *

"You know, you never talked about what you'll do about the cure once we've found it. Will you take it?" Elena questioned nervously as she and Damon stood on a beach near Nova Scotia.

Damon looked at Elena with a little bit of hesitance. He knows that answer that she wants to hear and he knows what he wants. He just couldn't confess it now; he couldn't get _his_ hopes up.

Damon shrugged. "I don't like to speculate."

Elena frowned. "You've never thought about it? Not once?"

"Oh I've thought about it Elena, you just won't like my answer." He stated the moment he realized that she wasn't going to drop the subject.

"You can tell me Damon. We're in this together." She pushed before moving towards him and taking his free hand in hers.

He huffed; not wanting to talk about his choice with the cure in regards to himself. "Let's just focus on getting the cure for you."

"But I want to know what you'll do with it." She insisted as she stared up at him.

Damon gritted his teeth as he looked towards the water. "You're not going to let this go, are you?"

Elena squeezed his hand. "Will you take the cure?"

"No." He quickly felt Elena's grip loosen but he tightened his grip before she could pull away. "And it's not because I don't want to be human again." He quickly explained before she didn't give him a chance to.

Elena exhaled as she tried to keep her disappointment at bay. "Then why not?"

Damon shrugged. "For many reasons Elena in which we can discuss later."

"Now is as good of a time as any." Elena declared with a shake of her head. She wasn't going to let him brush the discussion aside.

Damon exhaled deeply as he tried to figure out how to phrase his explanation. He didn't want to burden her with his worries and yet he didn't want her to think that he didn't want to be with her after she took the cure and broke the sire bond between them. He'd do anything for Elena, he'd accept her no matter what she was; there was no doubt about that. He just didn't want his worries to affect her actions when it came to finding the cure. He looked down into Elena's eyes and exhaled once again.

"I don't want to be human if Klaus is still a threat. I don't want to be human if Katherine is still running around. I don't want to be human if Silas does exist." With every reason he listed, he watched as the realization set in her eyes. A part of him was glad that at least she understood what those statements truly meant for them because they had experienced it; Elena was human when Klaus came into their lives while Damon was human when Katherine destroyed his. He didn't want to say this next part but he just had to drive it home all the way for her to truly understand. "If there is one thing I've learn, it's that being human against those threats means being vulnerable. It means death." He stated because when it came to it, Elena died by the hands of an Original while Damon died because of Katherine.

Elena's breath hitched when Damon's words finally settled into her mind because deep down, she knew he was right. It was as if getting the cure was all her mind was set on because she never really considered anything that Damon was telling her now. Before Jeremy killed Kol, they all assumed that Klaus wanted the cure to turn Elena human which led her to believe that she would be safe from him afterwards. Yet that wasn't the case anymore. Now when it came to Katherine, Elena had completely forgotten about her vampire ancestor roaming around. She remembered how helpless she was as a human when Katherine came to town and she didn't want that again. And then there was Silas. If an Original vampire like Kol was terrified of Silas walking the earth then anyone beneath him should be horrified at the idea of Silas being released and yet she had just written Silas off as a fairy tale…just like vampires were to her before she met the Salvatores.

Unknown to the realizations in Elena's mind, Damon continued his argument after looking Elena in the eyes once again while taking both of her hands in his. "I've accepted being a vampire a long time ago Elena so I don't mind staying the way I am for a little while longer. And with you wanting to be human again…is it wrong for me to want to stay a vampire just so that I know that I can actually protect you better than if I were human?"

Elena's eyes softened after hearing what Damon would give up for her. "Damon…" She wanted to tell him that she couldn't ask him to give up his chance at being human again. She'd never forgive herself if she were the reason that Damon didn't get what he wanted, especially after all the pain her rejection has caused him since they've met. Yet before she could utter those thoughts to him, he jumped in with another statement.

"Don't get me wrong Elena, I would take the cure for you but only if I know you were truly safe and in no need of a vampire to protect you." He declared because he truly would take it for Elena. He's missed being human for so long and the idea of being human _with_ Elena was just more appealing the longer he thought about it...but he can wait.

Elena didn't know what to say after that.

What does one say to someone who's willing to pass up an opportunity to gain what they've lost if it meant keeping you safe?

A simple 'thank you' would hardly be enough.

So Elena went for the next best thing she could think of…she closed the distance between them before she pulled him down for a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer:** Any Recognizable dialogue is from VD 4x13 ("Into the Wild").
> 
> **Back Story:** I was more interested in the dialogue and Damon's reason behind why he wouldn't take the cure the moment they found it. While we all know why Elena wants to be human again but for me, I thought Damon might hesitate on taking the cure for himself and giving up the advantages that came with being a vampire even though in 2x12 he confessed that he missed being human. This was my take on the hesitance which I hope stays as close to Damon's character as possible (aside from his last comment being a bit 'mushy' than usual).
> 
>  
> 
> **Originally Published on FFN:** February 4, 2013


	15. What Did You Expect? (4x14)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Challenge/Synopsis:** Added scene for 4x14. Further dialogue between Damon and Vaughn after the hunter drops the bomb about the cure.
> 
>    
>  **Character(s):** Damon Salvatore and Galen Vaughn  
>  **Pairing:** none
> 
> **Rating:** T  
>  **Words:** 173 words
> 
> **Spoiler(s):** everything up to VD 4x13 ("Into The Wild")  
>  **Time Frame:** Happens immediately after the scene where Vaughn reveals to Damon that there is only one dose. It's meant as a connector between the two canon scenes for Damon and Vaughn.
> 
> **Inspiration:** After watching the episode for a second time.  
>  **Requested By:** None

* * *

**"What Did You Expect?"**

* * *

"There is only one dose." Vaughn revealed to Damon as they traveled through the woods of the desolate island.

Damon glared at the hunter. "Seriously?"

Vaughn shrugged. "Sorry mate, it has been written."

Damon scoffed as he processed Vaughn's words. "I should have known something like this would have happened." He said as he silently cursed at himself for embarking on a journey that was destined to fail from the start.

Vaughn looked to the vampire in an amused manner. "Well what did you expect? Silas was the only immortal on Earth when he and the cure were entombed. Why would there be more than one dose since it was meant for him?" He reasoned before he pushed Damon to keep on moving.

"Wishful thinking I guess." Damon quipped when all he really wanted to do was do something destructive to quench his rage for the new development.

"Well, sorry to disappoint you." Vaughn stated without sympathy before he shoved Damon to keep on moving.

Damon growled but did as he was told.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Originally Published on FFN:** February 14, 2013


	16. I Pity You (4x19)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Challenge/Synopsis:** Tag on to 4x19 Promo: Damon has had enough with emotionless Elena.
> 
>  
> 
> **Character(s):** Damon Salvatore and Elena Gilbert  
>  **Pairing:** Angst Damon/Elena
> 
> **Rating:** T  
>  **Words:** 711 words
> 
> **Spoiler(s):** everything up to VD 4x18 ("American Gothic")  
>  **Time Frame:** During prom (the part in the promo where Elena says _"I feel nothing for you, Damon."_ )
> 
> **Inspiration:** Promo for VD 4x19 ("Pictures of You")  
>  **Requested By:** None

* * *

  **"I Pity You"**

* * *

" _I feel nothing for you, Damon._ " Elena declared to Damon with no hint of regret at her senior prom before she walked away.

He should have let her walk away but he didn't. Instead, Damon discreetly pulled Elena into him.

"Then I could only pity you, Elena," he whispered as his grip around her wrist tightened, "You might actually be worse than Katherine." It was a low blow but this was it, he's had enough. If she wasn't going to care about his feelings then he wasn't going to care about hers.

Aside from that reflexive flinch, Damon saw no outside reaction from Elena.

She turned her head to face him, her face blank. "It's me that pities you then, since you don't seem to take a hint when given to you twice."

Damon scoffed, momentarily brushing the jibe off. "You still don't get it." Sometimes it was hard for Damon to remember that Elena really was only an eighteen year old girl. Compared to him, she knew nothing.

Elena rolled her eyes, she was getting bored. "Get what?"

Damon quickly looked to the crowd and saw that Stefan had his eyes on them, more specifically a warning glare directed at him, but Damon pushed forward with his plan. "There was a time where I use to get you to feel _everything_. I got you feeling rage, disappointment, fear, compassion, happiness…and any other emotion in between because no matter where we stood, I could _always_ get you to _feel something_." Damon declared as he stared at her.

Elena blinked, "And now you don't." It didn't look like she was getting the point which caused Damon to sigh.

"And that's why I pity you Elena because what's the point in living if you feel absolutely nothing?" He loosened his grip around her wrist after he felt her body flinch. He chalked that reaction up as making progress but he didn't let it show. "You might as well be dead. At least then you could be free." He finished before he turned to walk away with his flask of alcohol.

Yet it was Elena's turn to yank him back, she wasn't going to let him have the last words in their conversation. "You're one to talk. You've flipped your own switch before." She argued and yet hope filled in Damon when he heard genuine anger in her tone.

"And look what happened…its flipped back on when I once swore it never would be flipped on again." He pointed out as he looked between her face and the spot she was holding him to her, "and the same thing is going to happen to you."

"I won't let it," She promised with a glare as if she were too good to have that outcome happen to her.

Damon shook his head; she was more like him than she realized as her attitude reminded him of when he left his humanity behind. And it was something drastic that got him to switch it back on and that was something he had to do…he had to hurt her in order to save her.

"And when it does, don't come crawling to me to try to fix you because I'm done." Damon calmly announced.

Elena could see that he meant it with the look he was giving her. A little piece inside her feared that look.

"Bonnie was right. The Elena we all knew and loved is now gone." He added before he took a swig from his flask as he readied himself for the final blow he was about to make. He lowered the flask and faced her once again; blank brown eyes met with a fierce ice blue. "I guess it's a good thing all your family is dead because they would be disappointed to see just how far off the rails you've gone." He sneered in hopes that bringing up her family might make Elena react in any way as long as it got her to feel. He then moved so that his mouth was by her ear, "and that's not a good thing when _I_ , of all people, have to acknowledge it." He finished before he stepped back and walked away. He was done with her using him.

Yet as he walked away, Damon didn't notice an old glint resurface in Elena's gaze as she walked him leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Originally Published on FFN:** April 11, 2013


	17. Make Another (4x18/4x19)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Challenge/Synopsis:** After returning from Pennsylvania, Damon thought it was about time that he meets the legendary Silas for himself.
> 
>  
> 
> **Character(s):** Damon Salvatore and Silas  
>  **Pairing:** none
> 
> **Rating:** T  
>  **Words:** 629 words
> 
> **Spoiler(s):** everything up to VD 4x18 ("American Gothic")  
>  **Time Frame:** Between VD 4x18 ("American Gothic") and VD 4x19 ("Pictures of You"). At least 8-9 days have passed (according to webclip #2 for 4x19), so imagine this moment happened during one of those days.
> 
> **Inspiration:** I thought it was a necessary meeting.  
>  **Requested By:** None

* * *

  **"Make Another"**

* * *

It's been a couple of days since Damon returned from Pennsylvania and he was pacing the forest ground. He knew that he shouldn't be in the forest but he needed this meeting. It was tricky to set it up but it needed to be done. He had questions that needed to be asked and who better than from the source himself.

"It seems like I owe you a thank you for finding the cure." The annoyingly familiar voice greeted Damon, "or at least tracking down the vampire who had stolen it from me in the first place."

Damon turned around and came face-to-face with Professor Atticus Shane yet he knew that wasn't who stood before him. "Silas."

"You called, I came," Silas announced with outstretched hands as he walked forward, "now what can I do for you Damon?"

Damon took a few steps back, he wanted distance between them especially after hearing what happened to Klaus when he ran into Silas. "I get that you want to take the cure for yourself," he started, getting straight to the point, as he watched the older immortal carefully, "but what I don't get is why you're the only one that can take it."

Silas sighed. "You know there is only one dose Damon."

"But weren't you there when it was made? I mean magic created the cure so why not make another one?" Damon asked and he was pleased when those words seem to intrigue Silas. "Why does there only have to be one?"

Silas stared at Damon for a minute. "But you don't want the cure."

Damon's expression hardened. "I want it for Elena," he shifted in his stance as he stared at Silas, "I want it for Stefan." He never admitted them both at the same time but while Elena needed the cure to stop the destruction she's caused without her humanity, Stefan needed it to stop the suffering that being a vampire had brought him.

"Even though it means you'll be losing them both in the process?" Silas questioned as he tilted his head.

"They've suffered enough." Damon emphasized through gritted teeth. His suffering didn't matter.

Taking note of the determination in his voice, Silas nodded. "Very well, what do you propose?" In honesty, he was interested to hear out the vampire who seemed to be the only one that produced results by doing things himself. Silas liked that.

Damon hid his shock as he rushed to get his suggestion out before Silas changed his mind. "Duplicate the cure somehow. Before you take the original one, try and make another successful cure." He suggested as he took a few careful steps towards Silas.

Silas didn't say anything but Damon could see that the theoretical cogs in the immortal's mind were turning at the idea. So he pushed to sell the proposal.

"What do you have to lose?" Damon asked as he stood two feet away from Silas, closer than before. "From where I'm standing, you're the strongest creature on the planet. I'd be an idiot to double-cross you."

Silas crossed his arms across his chest. "You double-crossed Klaus when you thought he was the most powerful creature," He pointed out with a raised eyebrow directed at the younger immortal.

"Because he targeted Elena," he defended as his hands formed fists by his side.

"And you'd do anything for her," It wasn't said like a question but a definite statement.

A small smirk formed on the younger vampire's face as another point crossed his mind. "Just like how you're doing everything you can to reunite with your girl." Damon countered as he established that they did work with similar objectives. After all, haven't their actions been because of the love of a woman?

Silas chuckled; Damon had him there. "Touché," Silas gave the argument to Damon, while he tried to figure out if the suggestion could actually work.

If anyone could make it work, it would be Silas.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Originally Published on FFN:** April 15, 2013


	18. Destiny Isn't Set in Stone (5x03)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Challenge/Synopsis:** Alaric couldn't just sit back and watch Damon torture himself over Qetsiyah's thoughts on the doppelgangers. Alaric needed to set his best friend's mind at ease. But what is a ghost to do?
> 
> **Character(s):** Jeremy Gilbert, Alaric Saltzman and Damon Salvatore (some Bonnie Bennett and Qetsiyah)  
>  **Pairing:** talks of Damon/Elena and Stefan/Elena (doppelgangers)
> 
> **Rating:** T  
>  **Words:** 1,231 words
> 
> **Spoiler(s):** everything up to VD 5x03 ("Original Sin")  
>  **Time Frame:** During Elena's phone call with Matt (after Damon/Elena/Stefan return to the boarding house yet before Damon tells Elena what Qetsiyah told him). 
> 
> **Inspiration:** I just needed to say my piece on the topic that is the 'doppelganger destiny'…and that's where Alaric comes in.  
>  **Requested By:** None

* * *

**"Destiny Isn't Set in Stone"**

* * *

The front door to the Salvatore boarding house closed shut, informing the human occupant that he wasn't alone anymore.

"I guess they are back." Jeremy whispered before he turned his head back to Bonnie, who nodded in agreement. "I wonder if they were successful." He wondered out loud yet before his ghostly companion could respond, another voice did.

"More or less."

Jeremy and Bonnie whirled around to see Alaric leaning against the farthest wall with a raised eyebrow between the two teens.

"Alaric." The teenagers whispered simultaneously once they recognized the new ghost that had joined them.

Alaric looked between the two of them and noticed Jeremy's disheveled look; _did he even get out of bed?_ "Please tell me you two haven't been sitting here all this time while everyone else has been dealing with Silas' chaos."

The teenagers looked at one another before looking down at the ground in a guilty manner. Jeremy had woken up to Bonnie's tearful face and he'd spent most of the day trying to console her.

Alaric sighed as he waved his hand in a dismissive manner. "Forget about it, we'll deal with that later. Right now, I need Jeremy to give a message to Damon." He pushed off the wall he was leaning against and made his way towards the teenagers; he was a man on a mission. "In the meantime, Bonnie I need you to spy on Qetsiyah. She's up to something." He supplied, knowing that this would take Bonnie's mind off of things.

Bonnie's eyes widened, "Wait, Qetsiyah's alive?" Jeremy was just as stunned as she was to hear that.

Alaric nodded and addressed Bonnie, "When you dropped the veil, she used that chance to bring herself back to life. If you shadow her, you can learn how to bring us back like she did." He explained what he quickly learned from Lexi (who has been shadowing Stefan since his escape) and he saw hope start to swirl in the newly dead witch's eyes. If Bonnie could figure out how to pull what Qetsiyah had, then there was a chance that she could replicate it on herself and hopefully on a few other ghosts (like him).

"How is she back?" Jeremy whispered after finally getting past his shock.

Alaric turned to face Jeremy, "I'll explain later. Right now I need you to give Damon a message before he talks himself into believing Qetsiyah's words."

Jeremy and Bonnie looked to one another before Bonnie disappeared to fulfill Alaric's request. Jeremy nodded, as if her disappearance showed her acceptance of the new missions, before he turned to face his ghostly guardian.

"What do I tell him?"

***VD*VD*VD*VD*VD***

Damon was pacing the inside of his bedroom. After carrying Stefan to the living room and placing him on the couch, he headed straight for his room because he needed to think. Qetsiyah's words were still playing around inside his head no matter how much he wished for them not to.

" _Century after century, I watched versions of Stefan and Elena find each other, like magnets, always the same story - conquering all, falling in love._ "

The bitterness that went with her words, well Damon couldn't blame her for having that. Every part of him wanted to deny her words, but apparently they were alike in this scenario. And it make matters worse, it seemed like Qetsiyah had to drive another nail into that thought when she brought up destiny.

" _Destiny has been trying to get the doppelgangers together forever._ "

Why was it destiny for them to be together? Wouldn't doppelgangers be created as punishment for Silas and Amara betraying nature by becoming immortal? How is this destiny a punishment for them? It seemed more like a punishment to Damon. Could he and Elena really be doomed before they truly had a change to begin? Why did everything and everyone always side with Stefan?

Many similar thoughts and questions ran through Damon's mind yet before he could really stew in the negativity that came with them, a knock at his door caught his attention. He stopped, turned and came face-to-face with Jeremy, who gave him a sheepish grin.

Damon sighed; he was a little annoyed yet slightly grateful for the interruption. "What do you want?"

"Alaric wanted me to give you a message," Jeremy explained as he entered the room and closed the door behind him.

Damon blinked, he wasn't expecting that. "What message?"

Jeremy turned to his right, where the ghost in question stood, and waited for Alaric to give him the message before he faced Damon. "He said to tell you that _they may be destined to fall in love but Qetsiyah never said that they were destined to be together in the end._ I really don't get the gist of what that means but he won't elaborate for me."

Damon blinked a couple of times as he turned away from Jeremy. "Ric was there?" He didn't know how he felt about his best friend's ghost following him around.

Jeremy didn't need Alaric to nod his head to him to know the correct answer. "Yes."

Damon ran his conversation with Qetsiyah through his head again, only to realize that Alaric was right. The crazy witch never said that the doppelgangers got to be together in the end. She had only said that they were destined to find each other and fall in love. She never elaborated after that. Couples in love don't always end up together in the end. Could it be possible that destiny never planned for them to end up together after all the obstacles the doppelgangers were supposed to face together? Did Damon still have a chance?

Alaric could see the cogs working in his best friend's head. He wished that he could provide support for the struggling vampire but this was the best he could do…have Jeremy be the middle man for them in this moment. It was better than nothing.

The ghost cleared his throat, catching the medium's attention once again.

"Tell him that he can't give up. Tell him that destiny doesn't rule us." Alaric turned to face his former charge. "Remind him that Elena surviving Klaus' ritual proved that destiny isn't set in stone. Tell him history will not repeat itself." Alaric relayed to Jeremy who repeated his words to Damon a few moments later.

Damon straightened up after hearing Jeremy repeat words that he knew would only come from his dead best friend. If he wasn't sure before, he was sure of it now…he will never give up. He will not let history repeat itself. He will not lose Elena after everything they've been through together.

"History will not repeat itself." Damon repeated to himself before he turned to face Jeremy (and unknowingly Alaric too). No words were said but he nodded his head in thanks before he left his room; he needed to check on Elena and Stefan.

***VD*VD*VD*VD*VD***

Alaric exhaled deeply after Damon left his room. He hoped that Damon would make the right decision and not back down; it was his turn to end up with the girl he loved.

Jeremy turned to face Alaric; he didn't want to be in the dark anymore. "Are you going to fill me in now?"

That's all Alaric needed to start filling Jeremy in on what he learned when he followed Damon throughout his 'rescue Stefan' road trip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer:** Any recognizable dialogue is from VD 5x03 ("Original Sin").
> 
> **Clarification:** Lexi has been shadowing Stefan since his release and Alaric has been shadowing Damon since Silas revealed himself to Damon. When Damon/Elena were driving back home with an unconscious Stefan, I figured that is when Lexi/Alaric got to talking about Qetsiyah since they'd be in the car with the three vampires.
> 
>  
> 
> **Originally Published on FFN:** October 19, 2013


	19. Welcome Back (5x07)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Challenge/Synopsis:** What does Damon do when he learns that Bonnie is back?
> 
>  
> 
> **Character(s):** Bonnie Bennett and Damon Salvatore (mentions of Jeremy Gilbert, Elena Gilbert and Caroline Forbes)  
>  **Pairing:** Damon/Bonnie friendship, established Damon/Elena
> 
> **Rating:** T  
>  **Words:** 225 words
> 
> **Spoiler(s):** everything up to VD 5x07 ("Death and the Maiden")  
>  **Time Frame:** I guess this could be said to be happening just after Bonnie had her reunion with Jeremy/Caroline/Elena.
> 
> **Inspiration:** I thought of this during the commercial break and I quickly wrote it up for one of my tumblr reblogs.  
>  **Requested By:** None

* * *

  **"Welcome Back"**

* * *

With his shoulders slumped, Damon walked into the house with Amara's blood on his hands. He wasn't able to save her…he wasn't able to keep her alive long enough for Bonnie to become the new anchor.

He was pulled from his spiraling thoughts when he heard laughter in the other room. He hurried to the source and froze at the threshold when he saw three giggling girls and one smiling boy. That's right, _three_ girls, not two.

The vampire teenagers stopped when they heard him.

The brunette turned and smiled at her boyfriend, "It worked."

He didn't say anything.

Instead he marched towards the girl in the middle, something the other boy was familiar in seeing, before he pulled the newly returned girl into his arms despite the blood on his hands.

She returned his embrace and laughed, "I didn't think you cared." She teased while ignoring the blood that was getting on her; she needed a shower anyways.

He didn't say anything at first; instead he turned his head so that his mouth was at her ear and he whispered, "Welcome to the resurrection club, Judgy."

Because he was right, everyone in their dysfunctional group had died at least once and that realization seemed to bring another laugh into the new anchor.

She was back. After three months, she was back with her family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Originally Published on FFN:** November 14, 2013


	20. Damon's Revenge (5x09)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Challenge/Synopsis:** There was more to Damon's revenge then anyone could have thought and before he could be judged by his girlfriend, he made her realized that he had no choice.
> 
>  
> 
> **Character(s):** Damon Salvatore, Elena Gilbert  & Aaron Whitmore  
>  **Pairing:** Damon/Elena
> 
> **Rating:** T  
>  **Words:** 3,273 words
> 
> **Spoiler(s):** everything up to VD 5x09 ("The Cell")  
>  **Time Frame:** During the VD 5x09 Damon/Elena/Aaron scene in the basement.
> 
> **Inspiration:** I just really hated that during the original scene that Elena's reaction was going along the lines of her going back on her word to Damon (that she won't care what he did in the past).  
>  **Requested By:** None

* * *

  **"Damon's Revenge"**

* * *

Things were not going well for the vampire couple. They've been stuck in the basement cellars at Whitmore House for the day and just when they thought that things were looking up for them, they are met with a gun pointed at Elena. It was definitely not their day.

At the moment, Aaron Whitmore was accusing Elena of killing Megan, which she frantically denied and defended.

"Wes also said that a vampire killed my parents. Maybe that was you too?" Aaron countered quickly as he pointed the gun at the brunette.

Elena's eyes widened; she couldn't believe that this was happening, "No. Aaron that's impossible!" She wanted to say that she was just a kid when Aaron's parents died, like he was, yet she had a feeling that he wouldn't listen to her.

Aaron shook his head; he didn't believe her. "Why else would you be so interested in me?"

Damon rolled his eyes, "Calm down."

"Why else would you pretend to be my friend?" Aaron continued, as if he hadn't heard Damon, before turning his head toward the other cell, "She's a vampire."

"In case you haven't noticed Mini Wes, so am I," Damon noticed how Aaron's eyes widened at the news and the vampire couldn't resist rolling his eyes for the human's stupidity. When Aaron hadn't moved the gun away from Elena, like Damon had hoped he would, Damon decided that he needed to say something else to bring the attention off of his girlfriend, "And besides, Elena was a child when your parents were killed." It wasn't a downright confession, but he hoped it would provoke a response.

Aaron scoffed, "How would you know that?" His eyes still remained on Elena, even though hers kept shifting to the wall that separated her from Damon.

Damon threaded his arms through the bars of his cell and left them hanging, "Because for one, she's new to this life," He shrugged to make it seem like the fact was no big deal, "and because I'm the one that killed your parents."

The vampire was pleased when he noticed the human tense in his spot before he slowly turned to acknowledge Damon's confession. He was never going to confess this but if he didn't do anything then Elena would suffer from it and he couldn't have that.

"What did you just say?" Aaron slowly asked before he turned the gun towards Damon, "Start talking."

"Damon, what are you doing?" Elena hissed as she moved towards the bars. She hoped to catch a glimpse of Damon, to see something on his face that could give her an inkling of what he was up to, yet she knew that she couldn't.

Damon ignored Elena and began his tale to Aaron, knowing that he originally denied Elena the pleasure of knowing when she asked about it earlier, "In 1958, after the fire, Enzo was dead so I had to take on my revenge plan solo."

Damon didn't say anymore after that and Elena knew that he was lost in another memory of his. She still couldn't believe what Damon had to endure during those five years or what had truly happened to Enzo. It was just too shocking of a secret.

That didn't seem to register for Aaron as he broke the silence, "Which was what exactly?"

Damon shook his head, ridding himself of the memory, before he cleared his throat. He had to word the truth correctly if he hoped for his plan to work, "To kill the entire Augustine Society so that they couldn't come after me or any other vampire. I mean, why should the vampires be the ones to suffer through what it meant to be such creatures and yet the humans only get the benefits we could offer." He rambled as he remembered how his hatred for humanity had grown while he was locked away.

In order for him to have eternal life and every benefit that came with it, he had to suffer through the consequences that came with it. Over the decades, he had come to accept that yet it bothered him that the Augustine Society wanted to exploit him and Enzo so that they could reap the benefits without taking on the consequences. It just didn't seem fair whatsoever.

"Personally I don't see how that's fair," He continued before he got back on point. "Anyways once I did that, I made it more personal. I started killing off the Whitmore family, doing things to them that Dr. Whitmore himself had done to me repeatedly during my unfortunate stay here. Hell, I made it more gruesome for Enzo's sake. It's the least I could have done since I couldn't save him." He trailed off as he remembered how he had failed his friend, the one person that kept him sane during that horrendous time in his life.

Once his emotions had returned to him, that night always flashed through Damon's mind to the point that 'what ifs' always came as he saw many ways where he had went wrong in his attempts to save Enzo. If only he had killed faster, then he would have gotten to Enzo quicker; if only he stopped the fire first then he could have bought them some time; if only he realized that the cage was coated in vervain sooner than he could have grabbed something to help him pry the cage open. So many 'what ifs' had plagued his mind and it only made him want to flip the switch all over again but he knew that he couldn't do that.

"He thought my plan was unimaginative," He continued when the two teenagers remained silent, he even forgot about the gun that was pointed at him as he got lost in his thoughts, "until I told him that the real revenge would be on the one Whitmore that I left alive to grow up and carry on the family name once again, only to have me return and kill them off one by one until only one was left alive." He couldn't help but release a dark chuckle as he remembered all the looks on the Whitmores moments before he killed them, "It still baffles me that none of them picked up on the pattern."

Elena was mortified. Damon had warned her earlier that she wouldn't like what he had to say but she never expected this. This had never crossed her mind yet deep down she should have known. This was Damon after all. She should have known that he would seek revenge on those that did wrong by him and yet deep down she knew that it was more than that.

"Why only one?" Elena managed to croak out despite her tail-spinning thoughts on Damon's latest confession.

Damon tilted his head to the wall between him and his girlfriend, "What?" He wasn't expecting her to interrupt.

Elena gritted her teeth, "You heard me."

Damon rolled his eyes; he already knew she was making judgements on his actions despite her earlier promise. He might as well go all in and worry about the downfall afterwards. His goal was to free Elena.

"If only one was left alive, they would start to believe that something was wrong with them, that they were the common factor that led to all the death that surrounded them." His gaze never wavered from the human, who was slowly taking in everything the vampire was saying.

Aaron wanted to shoot Damon right there and then and end the suffering but a part of him stopped him because he knew that he needed to know everything otherwise he'd always wonder why.

Damon smirked a little when Aaron showed signs of his words sinking in as his head lowered just a bit, "So they would start to isolate themselves from everyone, to believe that they weren't worthy of any happiness whatsoever. I wanted them to feel this because it's a _fraction_ of what I felt, what _Enzo_ felt, during our years in this hellhole." Damon bent his arms so that he gripped the bars tightly, "This society took _everything_ from me so they had to pay."

Aaron's head snapped up. Elena remained silent.

"Since I already killed the twisted doctor, I had to eliminate those closest to him in case he confided in them about his work." The vampire continued, "They were all going to pay for the sins of their demented ancestor." He sneered a bit at the end as he thought of what Dr. Whitmore had done to him. If he wasn't fuelled by bloodlust during the escape, Damon would have kept the twisted doctor alive so that the vampire could inflict the same tortures that were placed onto him yet since he couldn't he went to the next best thing…the descendants. And it turns out that he was right, despite his actions the Whitmore family had continued to keep the warped Augustine Society afloat.

Aaron had heard enough, "How many… Whitmores have you killed?"

"Since 1958?" Damon questioned in disbelief; no one could remember everyone they had encountered in over fifty years, "I lost count. Then again, that is to be expected. I had no humanity in me at the time, for a _very_ long time actually, so I didn't care." He shrugged before he relaxed his arms over the other side of the bars.

"When was the last one?" Elena asked; she had an idea but she needed to hear it from him.

Damon turned his head slightly as he debated on whether he should say anything or not. He already knew that his confession would put him on shaky grounds with Elena but he did warn her that it wasn't pretty. Granted he hadn't planned on revealing his revenge to her like this, or at all, yet he couldn't do anything about it now. He just needed her to understand before she completely shut him out.

"Damon, when was the last one?" Elena repeated again more forcefully.

"A few months ago, her name was Sarah," Elena gasped when he said this; she looked to Aaron as earlier in the day the human had told her that his Aunt Sarah had died a few months ago.

"I had to go all the way to Charleston to find her," Damon continued without acknowledging the quick looks between Elena and Aaron, "Weekend trip, you didn't know."

"But we were together a few months ago," Elena whispered as she tried to process everything. She knew that Damon had killed in the past and that he had killed since they met but she was under the impression that the human killings had stopped since the sacrifice (she didn't count the time that Damon killed Matt since Matt had been revived by the Gilbert Ring). Apparently that wasn't the case.

"Starting the summer of our lives," Damon quipped as his focus stayed on Aaron and the gun that was still pointing at him.

Elena huffed, "I had no idea."

Damon rolled his eyes; he knew what was coming next despite her promise from earlier, "Did you really think that I would stop my revenge just because we were together Elena?" He asked and he took her silence as a sign for him to continue, "Dr. Whitmore filled five years of my life with tortures that I didn't think my body would recover from despite its advancements. If you think torturing a human is bad, torturing a vampire is worse since we feel things magnified and apparently they could do a lot worse to us than if their lab rats were humans." He sneered as the mere thought sickened him; while the humans seem to categorize all vampires as the sadistic creatures of the night, they seem to forget that humans are capable of being just as sadistic (without the excuse of being a vampire). Who's more twisted now?

Aaron didn't know what to say yet he knew to remain silent. His silence wasn't really a choice though as his mind was spinning with this new information. He couldn't fathom that his family had been involved in inflicting such cruelty.

Damon hated how much he was sharing but he _needed_ her to understand, he wasn't ready to lose her, "They took away my friend which led me to flip off my humanity and it remained off for a few decades, Elena. _Decades_! Do you remember what you felt before you turned off your switch?" He didn't want to have to bring it up but he needed a way for her to connect with what he had done.

Elena tensed when he brought up the switch; they never talked about that time for good reason, "Damon don't."

He didn't listen, "It took the death of your own brother to flip the switch. While you had everyone around you try and bring you back from that, and might I add that you tried to kill us on many occasions, I had no one." He let the words sink in for a moment before he continued, "No one Elena so I did whatever I wanted. I killed whoever I wanted and the only goal I had was my revenge. Just like how your only goal was to kill Katherine. Do you remember how determined you were about that?"

She did remember, all too clearly. She remembered how ruthless she was without her emotions. She remembered how she tried to kill many of her friends on many occasions without even blinking. She remembered how she killed that waitress to prove a point…not because the waitress was a threat to her well-being but _to prove a point_! She never would have done that if she had her emotions. And she was without her emotions for a few months after Jeremy's death and when she looked back on that time, it was horrible. She couldn't imagine living like that for much longer and yet Damon had done that. He had spent _decades_ without his emotions and with only his need for revenge as a way to push forward in life. And he had no one while she had support. Could she really fault him for his revenge? No, because like she said to him earlier, she didn't care what he did to the people that tortured him and yet the generations of Whitmores that followed…they didn't have anything to do with his tortures and yet he killed them for it. Could she forgive him for that?

Before Elena could find an answer to her internal questions, Damon's voice brought her back to reality, "So don't go judging me Elena because for one, you said you wouldn't, and because you have no idea what I went through." He stated without realizing where her true thoughts were on. "I just hope to God that I get you out of here before you experience first-hand what I had to go through all those years ago." He mumbled as he looked towards the wall that separated them.

He laid it all out to her and now it was her decision. She knew what she was getting into when she get involved with him, he just hoped that she didn't think it was all a mistake. Because he did mean what he said earlier…they had the summer of their lives together, and he hoped that he'd have many more in the future with her.

"So I'm just some means to an end for you?" Aaron interrupted as he steadied his arm so that the gun remained trained on Damon.

Damon tilted his head back to Aaron, "Until you Whitmores get the message, yeah, you are."

Aaron's brow furrowed out of confusion, "What message?"

Damon groaned; _could this human be any more of an idiot?_ "To stop experimenting on us! I heard what the good doctor wanted you to do." When Aaron only showed more confusion on his face, Damon had to hold in his temper once again, "He said he hoped for you to join him with his research before you decked him. And since I brought it up, good call with that punch," His enhanced hearing was able to pick up on the earlier conversation between Aaron and Dr. Maxfield from the main floor.

Aaron's eyes narrowed, "I don't need your approval."

Elena closed her eyes and sighed; she knew that Damon wouldn't react well to that comeback. She knew that she should say something to get in between the two yet she chose to remain silent.

"No, what you need is a brain." Damon shook his head; his annoyance was very clear in his movements, "You humans don't know when to stay out of vampire business. Humans are supposed to run when they see a vampire, not capture and experiment on them because I'll let you in on a little secret Mini Wes…we will _bite_ back with a vengeance. And I personally revel in that."

Aaron gulped yet he stayed standing strong, "You don't scare me."

"Another reason why you need a brain," Damon mumbled out before he squared his shoulders, "Alright, here's the deal; you let me and Elena go and I'll alter my revenge strategy to involve less death." He didn't want to but getting Elena free was his priority, even if it meant that he had to change his fifty-plus-plan then so be it. If they wanted less death then compelling would have to be his backup plan.

"Or?"

Damon growled, "Let's put it this way Mini Wes, I don't care if I get tortured again but if _Elena_ gets on that surgical table, _I will kill you._ "

Elena looked to the separating wall with a stunned expression on her face, she wasn't expecting that. Although she should have; history had shown that Damon would do anything and everything he could if it meant that she was safe.

Aaron quickly looked between the two vampires to see if the threat was legitimate. The serious yet stunned look on Elena's face was enough of a hint to tell him that Damon wasn't joking around anymore.

"Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but I will kill you." Damon continued as the revised plan continued to formulate in his mind, "I will kill the doctor upstairs and then I'll hunt down every member of the Augustine Society again and kill them and everyone in their family, and then I'll come after you, after you've suffered with the knowledge that so many deaths happened because _you_ wouldn't make the deal with me."

"That's what Klaus did to Katherine's family," Elena couldn't help but point that out.

Damon released a dark chuckle, "And you know how effective that turned out to be, Elena."

Elena sighed, "You can't make threats like that Damon."

If he could, Damon would be glaring directly at Elena but he had to settle for glaring at the wall between them, "I did not spend two years putting myself in more danger than I enjoyed to protect _you,_ Elena only to have you face the same thing I did in the darkest part of my past because I will guarantee this Elena, losing Jeremy won't compare to how you will feel during and after those experiments." He assured her through gritted teeth as his temper elevated. He had enough with this situation.

Elena said nothing to retaliate and Damon took that as a sign of his words sinking into her brain.

Damon turned to face Aaron, "So what's it going to be Mini Wes? Are you going to let us go or are you going to have to pack your bags and run for the rest of your life?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ****This was posted as a separate story over on FFN****
> 
>  
> 
> **Disclaimer:** Any recognizable dialogue is from VD 5x09 ("The Cell").
> 
> **Originally Published on FFN:** December 8, 2013


	21. Team Effort (5x11)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Challenge/Synopsis:** [Tag on to 5x11] What if the gang caught on to Katherine's plan before she truly got it started?
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> **Character(s):** Main Cast  & Special Guests  
>  **Pairing:** none
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> **Rating:** T  
>  **Words:** 2,166 words
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> **Spoiler(s):** everything up to VD 5x11 ("500 Years of Solitude")  
>  **Time Frame:** This is meant to take place immediately after Katherine says the spell on Elena (yet before Elena wakes up on the ground).
> 
> **Inspiration:** It truly annoyed me that with all their resources in that gang, they couldn't figure out that Katherine was up to something. I mean they have two people who could see ghosts and those ghosts can spy on anyone! See where I'm going with this?  
>  **Requested By:** None

* * *

  **"Team Effort"**

* * *

A loud thud was heard on the main floor, causing all beings with enhanced hearing to turn their heads…leaving only three teenagers with confused looks on their faces.

"What's wrong?" Jeremy asked when he noticed that all the supernatural beings in the room (including the few ghosts that popped in to say hi) had turned their attention towards the stairs.

"I believe the bitch is finally dead," Damon snickered before he took another swig of his bourbon.

Bonnie's brow furrowed as she searched the room for any sign of Katherine's ghost. "I don't see Katherine anywhere."

Everyone turned back to glance at the anchor.

"What do you mean you don't see her?" Damon snapped as he narrowed his stare at her, "She collapsed, we all heard it."

Jeremy frowned, "But didn't you sedate her in bed? Even if she did die, why would she collapse?"

The room was silent as the words sunk in before the Salvatore brothers blurred up to Stefan's bedroom. Caroline and Tyler were close behind them, followed by the hurried footsteps from Matt, Bonnie and Jeremy.

***VD*VD*VD*VD*VD***

When the Salvatores first arrived, they immediately noticed that both doppelgangers were unconscious.

Damon rushed to Elena's side to see if he could wake her up while Stefan went to check on Katherine.

Stefan reached for Katherine's wrist, "There's no pulse." He announced just as the others had joined them.

"Then where is her spirit?" Bonnie questioned before she headed towards Elena's unconscious form, "If she's truly dead then I should feel her nearby."

"Well you saw her a moment ago, didn't you?" Matt questioned as he looked between the two doppelgangers.

"Yeah, but she kept muttering about it being _too soon_ before she disappeared from my sights." The anchor explained before everyone's attention was brought back to the groaning doppelganger.

Elena slowly opened her eyes, only to be greeted by the concerned faces of her friends. For a moment she was surprised that Damon was one of the few people who were truly beside her, as if he were the one that tried to wake her.

"What happened?" Elena grumbled after massaging the back of her head.

"That's what we'd like to know," Damon commented before he helped Elena to a chair. She thanked him with a nod before she accepted the glass of water that Caroline had retrieved for her moments ago.

Elena sighed after taking a few sips of water, "I remember injecting Katherine with the last sedative but then she just grabbed me. I blacked out after that."

Matt blinked. "Blacked out?" He didn't like the sound of that.

" _It's the spell,_ " an unknown voice exclaimed, causing two of the room's occupants to turn to its source. " _Katerina performed the transfer spell before her body succumbed to the sedatives._ "

Jeremy's jaw dropped in surprise, "Rose?" He remembered the vampire he had to connect with in Denver for Damon and Elena. He hadn't expected to see her again since he never met her when she was among the living.

Damon's head snapped up to Jeremy. "Rose is here?"

Jeremy ignored Damon, "What are you doing here?"

Rose shrugged, " _I figured that someone needed to keep an eye on Katerina during her final moments. She doesn't call herself a survivor for nothing you know._ " The ghost explained before her eyes landed on Damon and Elena.

Before Jeremy could ask anything more, Damon interrupted, "Why is she here? What is she saying?"

"She said that Katherine did the transfer spell on Elena," Jeremy explained to the others before he turned to look at Rose, "Any way we could undo it?"

"Hang on, Katherine had refused to do the spell on her psycho daughter and yet you're telling me that she did it on Elena instead?" Damon interrupted once again with a little more anger in his tone.

"I guess, in a way, it makes sense," Bonnie supplied with a shrug, "Katherine has never really been the type to just sit back and let things happen to her."

"We get it, so while on her deathbed, she's still a schemer but what does this mean for Elena?" Caroline piped in, in hopes of getting everyone back on track. The blonde vampire was worried for her silent yet now possessed friend.

Bonnie and Jeremy looked to Rose for an answer yet it wasn't her that gave it to them.

"The knife," Matt and Stefan answered together before they looked to one another.

"What?" Tyler questioned as he looked between his best friend and the vampire.

"When Matt was possessed by Gregor, Nadia had to bring Gregor forward in order for Katherine to question him and she eventually killed him with this knife." Stefan explained as he recalled the little interrogation moment he witnessed between Katherine and the imposing Traveler.

"And then before Nadia left town, she gave me the knife in hopes that Katherine would change her mind about the possession idea. She said that I needed to keep it safe and hidden." Matt continued the story.

"So where's the knife?" Jeremy asked.

"It's back at Tyler's place. I'll go get it now." Matt offered before he left the room with Tyler (who offered to escort him just in case Nadia attacked him again).

"Alright, so we get the knife and then what?" Caroline asked.

"Well Katherine had killed Gregor while he was in control of Matt so in order to kill Katherine, we would have to call her out of Elena." Stefan theorized as he remembered back on how Katherine had handled Gregor.

Everyone turned to look at Elena, who had been silent since she woke up.

"Elena?" Bonnie called out to her friend.

Elena looked up, "Hm?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just…for a moment there I thought I had made peace with her and then she does this…" Elena shrugged yet her disappointment was evident in the way her voice had trailed off. "I guess there really is no changing Katherine."

Damon rolled her eyes, "It's going to take more than Katherine dying to change 500 years of her being evil."

Elena wanted to argue that Damon had changed from his evil ways yet she knew that then wasn't the time. And he was right, she should have known better…Katherine was never going to change her ways. She always looked out for herself no matter the cost to anyone else.

***VD*VD*VD*VD*VD***

As the group waited for Matt and Tyler to return with the Traveler's knife, they had received (and ignored) many calls from Nadia to Elena; it was weird enough to see Nadia's number on Elena's phone. After a few calls, they figured out that Nadia must have been trying to activate Katherine from within Elena. However, they figured that they didn't have long before Nadia returned to see why her calls were being ignored.

As they waited, they figured out that while Katherine was in control, the vampires would have to restrain her since they weren't sure if Katherine would be able to tap into Elena's vampire strength or not. Once restrained, someone would stab Katherine with the knife which would leave the ghosts (Rose, Alaric and Vicki wanted to see this through) to restrain Katherine's spirit long enough for Bonnie to get to her and make physical contact, to ensure that her soul passed through the anchor. They even got a blood bag ready for Elena to consume once she was back in control.

Luckily for them, Matt and Tyler returned not long after leaving.

Matt quickly entered and handed the knife over to Stefan. "So how are we going to do this?"

"We need to call Katherine forward." Stefan stated before he passed the blade to his brother. They both knew that Stefan would hesitate in killing Katherine when the time came. Damon, on the other hand, has been waiting for Katherine to die all day and while she may currently be in Elena's body, he had to forgot that piece of information if he wanted to see the bitch dead.

Jeremy turned to Rose. "Any chance that you know the activation spell?"

"Vyjdi. _Say it and Katherine should be in control._ " The ghost explained.

"How can we tell?" The medium asked while the anchor told everyone else a summarized version without using the specific word.

" _You'll see the change in her eyes. That's your indicator._ " Rose finished as everyone else got ready.

Stefan and Tyler moved to stand on either side of a now standing Elena as Caroline stood behind her. With the knife in his hand, Damon moved to stand in front of Elena while Jeremy, Bonnie and Matt stayed a few steps behind him.

"Are you ready for this?" Damon questioned his ex-girlfriend. He didn't like to think of her as such but now wasn't the time to dwell on their relationship issues. They had a spirit to expel.

Elena nodded. "Just get her out of me." She relinquished her arms to Stefan and Tyler. She could feel their firm grips around her wrists and her upper arms.

Damon nodded, "Say it," he told Jeremy as he played close attention to her eyes.

" _Vyjdi,_ " Jeremy firmly stated from his position.

Damon watched as Elena's brown eyes had blinked to black before they returned to their normal color. Her body jerked back a bit, her eyes widened a bit at the close proximity she was in with Damon before she registered the fact that she was being restrained.

"Wha-"

"Hello again, Katherine," Damon sneered.

Katherine sputtered, "Damon, what are you-"

"Don't even try it," He cut her off before she could finish her charade. "We all know it's you and not Elena."

"This is insane! Let me go Damon, please! I'm not Katherine!" The doppelganger pleaded, in hopes that he'd succumb to the idea of being wrong and that it truly was his Elena that was being restrained and not her.

Damon ignored her pleas as he twirled the knife in his hands. The ones behind him noticed how her eyes had shifted to the weapon before they widened in fear. It was a look that Elena didn't have moments before they started.

"It's Katherine," Jeremy's voice was clipped as he looked at the manipulative Petrova.

"Good enough for me," Damon quickly stabbed Katherine in the stomach.

The former doppelganger gasped in pain as she looked to Damon, only to see cold eyes directed at her.

"Goodbye Katherine." Damon stated before he twisted the knife a bit more. He watched her eyes blink to black before they returned to soft brown eyes again…Elena's eyes.

"Did it work?" Elena sputtered as she tried to grip onto something; the three vampires restraining her had moved to hold her up instead.

Damon quickly removed the knife. "Did it?" He questioned before he looked over his shoulder. He saw Matt and Jeremy have their focus on Bonnie as she moved to an empty space within the room.

While Matt couldn't see anything, Jeremy watched as Katherine's spirit struggled against the hold that Alaric and Rose had on her (since both ghosts had died as vampires, they had the advantage over Katherine who died as a human/doppelganger/Traveler).

" _You can't do this to me!_ " Katherine shouted as Bonnie closed the distance between them.

"It's time for you to cross over now." Bonnie declared without emotion at the being that had brought so much chaos into their lives.

The anchor reached out her hand until she made contact with the struggling Petrova.

While the others (aside from Jeremy) couldn't see the spirits, everyone saw how Bonnie's body contorted in pain for a few moments before she had straightened herself up.

Matt shifted a bit towards Jeremy, "Does that happen every time?"

Jeremy only nodded as his attention was entirely on Bonnie.

"Well?" Damon questioned as they all watched Bonnie recover.

"She's transitioned over. She won't be an issue anymore." Bonnie declared before a small smile appeared on her face.

"Hallelujah," Damon smirked before he turned back around to Elena, "How are you feeling?"

"Hungry," Elena confessed before she winced; the wound was taking longer to heal than expected. A few moments later, Caroline passed a blood bag to Elena (which she took gratefully).

"So we're in the clear?" Tyler slowly asked as he looked around the room.

" _Not exactly. You still have Nadia and the Travelers to worry about._ " Alaric reminded them even though Jeremy and Bonnie could only hear him.

"Rick says we still have Nadia and the Travelers to worry about," Jeremy reported as he watched Elena regain her strength again. Once she consumed the blood bag's contents, he didn't hesitate to hug her.

Caroline pouted, "Must we worry about them?"

Everyone looked around at one another, not really sure what they should do next.

Should they figure out a way to handle Nadia?

Or should they continue with their celebration?

Among the group, there was one vampire that knew exactly what he wanted to do…celebrate the death of the woman that destroyed his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ****This was posted as a separate story over on FFN****
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> **Disclaimer:** Any recognizable dialogue is from VD 5x11 ("500 Years of Solitude")
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> **Originally Published on FFN:** January 30, 2014


	22. Displaced Doppelganger (5x12)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Challenge/Synopsis:** [Tag on to 5x12] If Katherine has sole control then where does that leave Elena?
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> **Character(s):** Elena Gilbert, Bonnie Bennett, Jeremy Gilbert  & Damon Salvatore  
>  **Pairing:** Damon/Elena
> 
> **Rating:** T  
>  **Words:** 1,195 words
> 
> **Spoiler(s):** everything up to VD 5x12 ("The Devil Inside")  
>  **Time Frame:** This is meant to take place immediately after Katherine walks away from Damon.
> 
> **Inspiration:** See the end notes for the explanation.  
>  **Requested By:** None

* * *

  **"Displaced Doppelganger"**

* * *

One minute she was in Damon's arms, thinking that she was safe as long as she was with him, and then the next minute, she found herself in a kitchen that looked vaguely familiar.

Where was she now?

"Elena?"

And that's when it clicked for her. When Elena slowly turned around, she found herself face to face with a startled and yet confused Bonnie.

_Oh no._

"Elena, what are you doing here?" Bonnie asked as she closed the distance between them, "When did you get here?"

Elena quickly moved away from her best friend before she realized what she was doing. She couldn't touch Bonnie just yet; her instincts told her not to, not when touching her meant the true end of her existence.

"A moment ago I was hugging Damon." Elena declared without thinking as her eyes darted around the room. She was trying to recollect everything that had happened.

She remembered calling out to Damon once she spotted him. She remembered how relieved she felt being in his arms again and how all she wanted to do was stay frozen in that moment with him. She hadn't said anything to him other than that she was glad to see him, although thinking back she should have said more to him but in that moment she thought she'd have more time. But then she remembered further back to how she was running through those woods…with flashes of Katherine's memories seeping into her mind.

_Katherine._

She had done this to her.

She was with Bonnie because of _her_.

Bonnie frowned at her friend, "Damon? But he's in Mystic Falls."

Elena's attention flew straight to her friend, yet instead of the confusion in her eyes (which were there a moment ago), there was fury. Bonnie didn't get where the fury had come from but Elena was starting to remember the last twenty-four hours and how she kept blacking out because of Katherine's need to control her. How could it have come to this? They knew what Nadia was planning for Katherine and yet Elena had paid the price without anyone realizing it.

How could anyone _not_ realize what was happening?

Before Elena could say anything, Jamie walked in.

"Bonnie, who are you talking to?" He questioned as he looked around the kitchen.

Bonnie gave him a dumbfounded look, "Elena, who else?"

Jamie frowned at Bonnie, "There's no one here Bonnie. Just us."

Bonnie's eyes widened as she looked back at Elena, who was now glaring at the anchor as her arms were crossed over her chest.

"Like I said, I was _just_ with Damon and now I'm here." Elena reminded through gritted teeth. She was furious with how everything had gone so completely out of hand. With practically everything at their disposal, how did it come to this?

Bonnie's mouth opened and closed like she was a fish out of water. She didn't know what to say. Jamie noticed this and rushed to get Jeremy or Abby to help with Bonnie; he didn't know what to do in regards to her new supernatural status.

"Quick question Bon," Elena's voice was clipped as she ignored Jamie's rushed exit, "did Katherine ever pass through you before you left town to visit your mother with my brother?"

Bonnie's eyes widened when the sudden realization came to her. She _hadn't_ seen Katherine yet…not after that first false alarm sighting with her.

"Well guess where she is now, Bonnie?" The doppelganger continued after seeing her friend's eyes widen.

"No…" Bonnie's horror was growing the longer the idea festered in her mind.

"Oh yes," Elena gave a humorless chuckle, "she has _full_ control over _my_ body and _nobody_ has a clue about it!" She knew that it wasn't Bonnie's fault yet a part of her blamed the anchor for not picking up on Katherine's spiritual absence sooner. Maybe then she would still be in control and in full possession of her own body.

"This can't be happening," Bonnie muttered as she quickly pulled her phone out of her pocket. She quickly searched through her contacts before she found the name she didn't always call as a first option. Even when Jeremy burst through the door to join them, Bonnie's sole attention was on her phone. Jeremy, however, was looking gobsmacked as he stared at his sister.

The phone rang a few times before an angered voice picked up.

" _What?_ "

"Damon, we've got a problem." Bonnie sputtered as she tried to collect her thoughts.

The vampire scoffed over the line, " _And I should care why?_ " He wasn't in the mood since his hopes of getting Elena back had been dashed moments ago.

"Because Elena is currently standing in front of me!" Bonnie shouted before she reined in her temper, "That's why you should care."

" _What?_ " Damon choked out, " _She just walked away._ "

"Elena says that Katherine has full possession of her body now." Bonnie rushed to explain (while putting a hand up at Jeremy when he was about to speak) as she remembered what Elena had revealed earlier since she hadn't told the whole story to her yet. "She says that one moment she was hugging you and then the next, she's standing in my mother's kitchen. And Jamie can't see her."

" _That was less than ten minutes ago._ " Damon muttered to himself before the words truly clicked in his head; Elena hadn't walked away from him, _Katherine_ had. Katherine was supposed to be dead and yet Elena couldn't be seen by anyone, other than Bonnie…the anchor to the Other Side. " _She wouldn't…_ "

"She did." Bonnie quietly confirmed as she looked at her best friend, "how do we fix this?"

" _It looks like I have a Traveler to find._ " Damon growled out before Bonnie could hear the whoosh of wind on his end, " _Get back to town…now!_ " He quickly hung up after that and Bonnie couldn't blame him for it.

"Katherine's alive?" Jeremy managed to sputter out as he looked between his _dead_ sister and his girlfriend (who only responded with a nod).

"How'd he take it?" Elena softly questioned as she watched Bonnie close up the device. Her anger had simmered down once she heard for herself how Damon had been angered when he heard of her current state. She didn't even look at Jeremy yet.

Bonnie shrugged, "It's Damon. If anyone could find a way to fix this, it's him." She had to suppress a small smile at the thought because despite how destructive Damon could be, if he sets his mind to something, he'd do absolutely anything and everything to achieve his goal.

Elena nodded with her own smile growing for she knew that Damon wouldn't stop until he saved her. It's just how he was when it came to her. He would do anything to make sure that she was safe (even when it was against her own reckless decision).

Bonnie cleared her throat (she wanted to get down to business), "Now tell me-"

Jeremy coughed, reminding the girls that he was in the room as well.

" _Us_ everything that happened," Bonnie corrected with a sigh before she flashed Elena an encouraging smile.

And so the displaced doppelganger did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Back Story/Inspiration:** It truly annoyed me that while Elena was struggling to save her life, no one knew about it. And the two people that could have helped the most (Beremy) weren't even in the episode at all which infuriated me! I just don't think it should have unfolded the way it did.
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> **Originally Published on FFN:** January 31, 2014


	23. Welcome Home (6x05)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Challenge/Synopsis:** [Tag on to 6x05] An Altered/Extended Version of Stefan's reunion with Damon in the Salvatore family crypt.
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> **Character(s):** Damon Salvatore, Stefan Salvatore  & Bonnie Bennett  
>  **Pairing:** established Damon/Elena, Damon/Stefan (family), Damon/Bonnie/Stefan (friends)
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> **Rating:** T  
>  **Words:** 560 words
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> **Spoiler(s):** everything up to VD 6x05 ("The World Has Turned and Left Me Here")  
>  **Time Frame:** After the canon reunion between Damon  & Stefan at the end of VD 6x05.
> 
> **Inspiration:** I refuse to believe that Damon couldn't bring Bonnie along in his escape from Kai  
>  **Requested By:** None

* * *

  **"Welcome Home"**

* * *

Stefan held onto his brother tightly as they hugged. The youngest Salvatore still couldn't believe that he was actually feeling his brother's arms around him. A part of him thought that it was the alcohol and his mind was playing tricks on him but the tight grip that Damon held him with and the few pats on the back he gave were starting to seep into Stefan's brain. He wasn't imagining things.

Damon was hugging him again.

Damon had returned to him and Stefan couldn't be more thrilled to have his brother back. He thought he could move on when Damon was gone but he couldn't do it. For months he tried and yet he couldn't do it. There were times where he was tempted to flip the switch so that he couldn't feel the pain anymore (like Elena had done when Jeremy was killed) but now he was glad that he never made that choice.

Stefan had Damon back and all was right in his life again.

"D-Damon?" A whimper called out, causing Damon to stiffen in Stefan's arms.

Before Stefan could stop it, Damon raced out of his arms and straight to the source of the whimper. At first Stefan feared that Damon was leaving him again, that his return wasn't real, but those fears vanished when Stefan's eyes landed on the source of the whimper.

There on the ground, hunched by the wall was Bonnie as she clutched at her stomach.

Stefan stared wide-eyed as he watched his brother feed Bonnie his blood.

"Sorry about that," Damon whispered to Bonnie as the girl drank from him, "got caught up in the moment."

Bonnie only nodded as she drank as Damon's attention went to Bonnie's abdomen. After putting the bourbon down, he used his hand to move her shirt up enough so that he could see where Kai's arrow had hit her. The vampire watched with great relief as her wound started to close up. He brushed his hand over the newly woven skin before he pulled his wrist away from her.

"You're good as new," Damon told Bonnie with a smirk before he stood. He offered his hand to her, helping her up instantly.

"Bonnie?"

Damon and Bonnie turned and stared at the stunned vampire. Bonnie smiled as she walked towards him.

"Hi Stefan." Bonnie slowly weaved her arms around Stefan's torso before she pulled him in for a hug. He slowly returned the gesture as he looked over her head to his brother, silently asking for some answers.

Damon shrugged his shoulders. "Like I said, it's a _very_ long story." He explained before he took another sip from the bourbon bottle he held once again. "Just know that we are back and super glad to be away from Crazy Killer Kai."

"That's an understatement," Bonnie mumbled into Stefan's chest before she pulled out and away from his arms. "It's good to see you again, Stefan."

Stefan nodded; he was just stunned by their returns.

Damon rolled his eyes and thrust the bourbon bottle into Stefan's chest, "I can't believe I'm saying this but you need this more, brother."

Stefan took the bottle and drank quite a bit of it before he came up for a breather.

Damon and Bonnie chuckled at the sight.

"Okay," Stefan huffed as he took a few deep breaths, "I'm all ears."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Originally Published on FFN:** December 8, 2014


End file.
